Antialiased 2D Grid, Marker, and Arrow Shaders

Overview & Synopsis

Grids, markers, and arrows are important components in scientific visualisation. Grids are widely used in scientific plots and help visually locate data. Markers visualize individual points and aggregated data. Quiver plots show vector fields, such as a velocity buffer, through regularly-placed arrows. Being able to draw these components quickly is critical if one wants to offer interactive visualisation. This article provides algorithms with GLSL implementations for drawing grids, markers, and arrows using implicit surfaces that make it possible quickly render pixel-perfect antialiased shapes.